West Indies cricketers are now a spoilt bunch

BY BRYAN DAVIS

IT has become tiresome to hear the constant drivel of excuses and promises by West Indies’ cricket captains, after losing games regularly in all formats.

The habit is spreading to the younger players.

It is a negative mindset to constantly maintain that your team is going to take all the “positives” from the game. Be realistic, recognise the fact that WI are an inferior team. One has not only to understand that but accept it. It is the way forward, firstly, to realising how badly the team is performing.

What is necessary at present is deep analysis of the game, players, captains, coaches and managers, by competent, knowledgeable cricket people who can decipher what is required for success from the WI international teams.

The first step in the right direction was taken on the weekend by CWI’s administration, led by president Ricky Skerritt, deciding not to renew the contracts of two selectors, lead selector Roger Harper and his assistant Miles Bascombe.

It is a reality that if a team is not winning, selectors and/or coaches are the first to be released. Phil Simmons, the head coach and third selector, is fortunate to retain his position. I believe, however, that CWI did not want to remove everyone at the same time, as continuity is imperative, especially in selection. They decided to stay with the coach as lead selector.

Our region, not unlike other cricket countries worldwide, is suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic.

However, CWI has been doing a fine job under the circumstances. Kudos must be handed out to the president and his administration, especially the indefatigable CEO Johnny Grave.

In April 2020, when the ravages of the virus were reaching out, CWI agreed to visit England for a series of Tests and ODIs. They were the first team to venture on a cricket tour after the coronavirus struck.

Before that tour to England, CWI permitted anyone who did not want to tour with the WI because of the coronavirus to be excused. After the tour of England, WI visited New Zealand and Bangladesh.

Nonetheless, while the team was suffering losses and struggling for players, certain team members stated they feared covid and declined the invitation to tour Bangladesh after NZ. However, these same prominent cricketers and certainties to strengthen the WI team flew off to play franchise cricket in Australia, where the virus was spreading dangerously and worse than in Bangladesh. Others went off to participate in a T10 in a Middle East competition for franchise clubs, leaving their WI teammates to battle with weakened troops.

The youngsters were absorbing these lessons subconsciously, both bad and good. Last October, with the arrival of World Cup T20, there was all to play for and to fight for their places on the team. Despite good performances, they must have been shocked by the players chosen. The rigours of a World Cup tournament are far more challenging than franchise cricket. Yet here it was that unfit and aged cricketers were given medical exemptions and fit younger players, keen like mustard, and raring to go, were left out.

The lesson sent out was quickly studied and learnt.

The recent tour to Pakistan was on and the captain of the white-ball team, Kieron Pollard, was injured, so could not make the trip. Captaincy against the powerful Pakistanis, to be played on their home soil, was left in the hands of the 25-year-old Nicholas Pooran.

Although losing all three matches, Pooran thought the youngsters on his team, at least seven of whom are older than he is, will go on to greater things.

He said, “I see that burning desire. I see that they want to learn, they want to win games. I have no doubt in my mind that this bunch of guys can take WI cricket to the next level.”

Pooran must be commended for accepting the additional responsibility to lead a touring team to Pakistan, a side that were losing semi-finalists in the World Cup, in which tournament WI were pathetic.

Unfortunately, before the start of the first game, three players tested positive for covid, making them unavailable for the series. When the third game arrived, three more were positive.

It is reported that after this latest discovery, a meeting of the players was held on whether to play; an agreement was reached to play the third T20. Most admirable. Nevertheless, they lost.